Damage resistance is a desired property in most coatings, films or articles of manufacture. Coatings, films, and articles of manufacture are subject to stresses caused by environmental agents such as sunlight and adverse weather conditions and physical agents and chemical agents as a result of spills. These stresses create considerable wear and tear and may lead to chipping, marring, crocking, scratching, etching or staining of the surface of the coating, film or article of manufacture. Inorganic and Polymeric Particles have been used to create coatings, films and articles of manufacture having resistance to these environmental, physical and chemical stresses. Typically, said particles are in the size range of 100-1000 nm. The benefits of inorganic and polymeric particles include at least one of the following improved surface properties: wetting and sheeting, quick drying, uniform drying, soil removal, self-cleaning, anti-spotting, anti-soil deposition, cleaner appearance, enhanced gloss, enhanced color, minor surface defect repair, smoothness, anti-hazing, modification of surface friction, release of actives, transparency (e.g., in the case of glass and the like) and damage resistance.
However, there have been many problems associated with developing coatings, films or articles of manufacture with the aforementioned properties. These problems include limit to single use protection, insufficient coverage, surface roughness and/or flaking of coating during use, a limit on surfaces that can be modified, and lack of durability or damage resistance.
The art has attempted to solve these problems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,432, to Ueno et al., discloses powder coatings including resin microparticles having a 0.001 micron to 10 micron average diameter to improve stain resistance and weather resistance. However, Ueno et al, does not disclose any example of a microparticle smaller than 0.16 microns (160 nanometers) in diameter. Further, Ueno discloses that it is difficult to make particles approaching a 0.001 micron average particle diameter. Further, the effective concentration of microparticles for stain resistant and weather resistant coating powders is inversely proportional to the microparticle average particle diameter. Finally, Ueno et al. does not disclose compositions comprising microparticles which exhibit surface migration.
In EP 0832947A2, Oermann discloses the use of 1 to 1000 nm inorganic particles in a coating composition for the production of scratch resistant clearcoat automotive coatings.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,387,519 (U.S.'519)to Anderson discloses cured coatings comprising particles having an average particle size of 1 to less than 1000 nm prior to incorporation into the coating composition. Further, said particles are located in a greater concentration in the surface region of the cured composition. Said particles can be formed from a wide variety of materials, such as ceramic materials, metallic materials, silica, alumina, zirconia, siloxanes, metal oxides, and organic polymers such as polyethylene, polycarbonates, acrylic polymers, styrene, and polyamides. See Col 9, lines 63-67; Col 10, lines 1-10; Col 10, lines 39-46; Col 12, lines 59-67; Col 13, lines 1-23. Said organic polymers are not crosslinked, but can become part of the cured crosslinked coating.
Specifically, U.S.'519 discloses inorganic particles and modified inorganic particles, particularly silica and siloxanes, for use in automotive clearcoat compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,717 to LaPoterie discloses aqueous based nail polish formulations that are damage resistant. La Poterie discloses the use of aqueous anionic dispersions that are composed of 2 to 40 nm anionic polyester-polyurethane and polyether-polyurethane particles. The particles described by La Poterie are not crosslinked and do not include acrylic and styrenic compositions. Further, La Porterie did not disclose the use of combinations of inorganic nanoparticles and polymer nanoparticles in aqueous nail polish formulations.
Applicants have now discovered that damage resistant coatings, films or articles of manufacture can be prepared using crosslinked organic polymeric nanoparticles having a diameter of 1-100 nm alone or in combination with inorganic nanoparticles. Further, applicant's crosslinked polymeric nanoparticles are useful in a wide variety of applications such as industrial coatings, floor polishes, automotive coatings and personal care applications such as nail polish.